The latter is intended for classes that are less advanced, and the former for those that are more advanced; and they are both intended to be preceded by some introductory book, such as those now used in Primary Schools, for teaching the elements of reading.
The practical teacher will find in these books an almost inexhaustible fund of grammatical illustration, as well as models of every style of English composition, both prose and verse. They may be used, therefore, not only in teaching reading in the higher department of rhetorical expression, but in teaching composition and grammar; and may be especially useful in making pupils acquainted with the varied resources of the language, a knowledge to be acquired in no other way than by familiarity with the writings of distinguished authors. It is believed, too, that the chronological arrangement of the extracts will enable the teacher, without material difficulty, to communicate important information in regard to the history of English literature. Short biographical and critical notices are, with this view, prefixed to ali the earlier authors, for the benefit of those young persons who may not have the advantage of a living
instructor.